BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - JULY 26: (L-R) Silver medalist Laszlo Cseh of Hungary and gold medalist Chad Le Clos of South Africa pose with the medals won during the Men's 200m Butterfly final on day thirteen of the Budapest 2017 FINA World Championships on July 26, 2017 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Home » Chad le Clos Wins Back 200m Butterfly World Title in Emotional Final! Cameron Bags Bronze

Chad le Clos Wins Back 200m Butterfly World Title in Emotional Final! Cameron Bags Bronze

South African swimmer Chad Le Clos won back his 200m butterfly world champion title in Budapest, on Wednesday evening, in an emotional final that meant so much to him. Le Clos collected his gold medal with tears streaming down his face… Le Clos and Cameron van der Burgh, who won bronze, were South Africa’s first […]

By Guest Contributor
27-07-17 09:43
in Fab South African Stuff
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - JULY 26: (L-R) Silver medalist Laszlo Cseh of Hungary and gold medalist Chad Le Clos of South Africa pose with the medals won during the Men's 200m Butterfly final on day thirteen of the Budapest 2017 FINA World Championships on July 26, 2017 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

South African swimmer Chad Le Clos won back his 200m butterfly world champion title in Budapest, on Wednesday evening, in an emotional final that meant so much to him. Le Clos collected his gold medal with tears streaming down his face…

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – JULY 26: (L-R) Silver medalist Laszlo Cseh of Hungary and gold medalist Chad Le Clos of South Africa pose with the medals won during the Men’s 200m Butterfly final on day thirteen of the Budapest 2017 FINA World Championships on July 26, 2017 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Le Clos and Cameron van der Burgh, who won bronze, were South Africa’s first two medal winners at the 2017 Fina World Championships in Hungary.

First, it was Le Clos who dominated the men’s 200-metre butterfly final, leading from start to finish in a gutsy display.

Chased by the two Hungarians in the race, Le Clos clocked a time of 1min 53.33sec to avenge defeat to the host nation’s Laszlo Cseh, the man who beat him at the last World Championships in Kazan, Russia, two years ago.

Cseh won silver on Wednesday, with a time of 1:53.72 and Japan’s Daniel Seto bronze in 1:54.21.

Le Clos, who seemed to have run out of steam in his semi-final, or to save himself for Wednesday’s final, started from lane six. He led by 0.71sec after the first length, 1.11 at the halfway and although that lead had been trimmed to 0.65 with a lap to go, the two-time Olympian had enough in the tank.

He collected his gold medal with tears streaming down his face and watched by father Bert in the crowd.

He collected his gold medal with tears streaming down his face and watched by father Bert in the crowd.

Less than 20min later it was Le Clos’ fellow London and Rio Olympian Van Der Burgh who doubled South Africa’s medal tally.

Up against the phenomenal Adam Peaty, who had set a world record 25.95sec in the 50m breaststroke semi-finals on Tuesday, Van der Burgh took third as Peaty once again dipped under the 26sec barrier with a winning time of 25.99, the only man do go quicker than 26 seconds.

Van der Burgh’s third place came in 26.60 as Brazilian Joao Gomez Junior took silver in 26.52.

Source: Sascoc.co.za

UPDATE: Chad le Clos reveals he fought for gold for his mom